System and method for providing interactive services using a mobile device

Abstract

A method of providing interactive services to a mobile device, comprising transmitting programming on-air to a first mobile device by a first facility in communication with a service provider and receiving by a second facility in communication with the service provider information based on the programming, wherein the first information comprises information relayed from the first device to the second facility after being processed by a second mobile device, is provided.

1. A method of providing interactive services to a mobile device, comprising:
 transmitting programming on-air to a first mobile device by a first facility in communication with a service provider; 
 receiving by a second facility in communication with the service provider first information based on the programming, wherein the first information comprises information relayed from the first device to the second facility after being processed by a second mobile device; 
 transmitting by the second facility second information to the second device, wherein the second information comprises information to be processed by the second device and relayed from the second device to the first device; and 
 transmitting third information comprising at least one update to software of the first device by a facility selected from the group comprising the first facility and the second facility, wherein the at least one update is based on a pre-update software complement and pre-update usage information of the first device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving is initiated when communication cost is favorable. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving is responsive to a request transmitted by a facility selected from the group comprising the first facility and the second facility. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising aggregating programming viewing statistics by a processing node selected from the group comprising the first device, the second device, the second facility, a gateway manager and the service provider. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first information comprises programming usage information compiled automatically by the first device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first information is selected from the group comprising interactive response information, program usage information, the first device user's viewing preferences, the first device user's device operational preferences, and the first device user's demographic information. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the usage information comprises at least a portion of the usage information that was stored by the second device at an earlier time. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the usage information is generated from information that documents viewing of the programming. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving from the second device the usage information and software complement information prior to transmitting the update.